Oregon’s first large wildfire of the year grew another 1,000 acres in size on Monday, and is now covering 3,000 acres. No evacuation orders are in place for the blaze, which is burning remote land owned by the Bureau of Land Management roughly nine miles North of Clarno, near the Junction of Wheeler, Gilliam, Sherman, and Wasco Counties.
The Butte Creek fire sparked on Sunday afternoon. The cause is still under investigation, and there is no containment of the fire yet. Federal fire crews have called in tankers from Utah and California to pour water on the fire. Meanwhile, crews from Gilliam and Wheeler Counties are protecting nearby ranches.
Two 20-man hotshot crews, several engines, tankers, and aircraft are working to sustain fire lines. “We have more helicopter resources on order. So we’re trying to use all resources available to put this out,” said Emily Curtis, public affairs officer for Central Oregon Fire Management Services.
